Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope

Ok, I have very little to say that doesn't invlove me complaining some more so I thought I woiuld give a mini music review on a new find of mine:

Her name is Regina Spektor and she is a New Yorker. I first heard about her while listening to 'Jay and the Doctor' on Triple J in the morning. They have a weekly segment where 'Library Spice' comes on and plays some new stuff that most JJJ listeners would have never heard. They have played Hawksley Worman in the past (who you may remember I mentioned in a post in April). Anyway, a few weeks ago they played a song by a lady recommended to Library spice by the Dresden Dolls (another great burlesque-esque band). This lady, Regina Spektor, was supposedly The Dresden Dolls favourite singer.
So the song JJJ played was called 'Fidelity' off her album 'Begin to Hope' (2006). I was driving in my car when they played this song and I truly lost concentration enough to start wandering close to the gutter! It was a beautiful song, but what struck me most about Regina Spektor was her incredible voice. It is hard to explain, but it was the most clear and perfect-pitched voice I have ever heard and her music was absolutely perfect for such a voice. A couple of days later I worked out how to download music through itunes and downloaded her album.
'Begin to Hope' is her third album and apparently her first album after her signing to a big record label. Listening to her record - it is hard to pigeon hole her sound into a specific genre. She has overlap with this other amazing singer-song writer Cat Powers, also undefinable in many ways. Officially Regina Spektor is 'anti-folk', which is a genre I have never heard of, but I would say that she'll likely never be truly main-stream, so could just be classified as alternative.

There are some beautiful songs on 'Begin to Hope', with my favourites being Fidelity, Better, On the Radio and Samson. I also elected to buy the bonus addition that also has a favourite song 'Baobabs'. Her album in its entirety is a little chop-and-change from catchy head-bobbing music to a little Jazzy song like 'Lady'. But all-round it really satisfies and is something I think alot of people could really appreciate.

Rating: ****1/2